\ 


Issued  Septenil>«r  9,  1916.    . 

U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAD  OF  SOILS— MILTON  WHITNEY,  ChieL 

IN  COOP»ERATION  WITH  TUE  UNIVERSITY  OF  MISSOURI  AGRICULTURAL 
EXPERIMENT   STATION,   F.    B.    MUMFORD,   DIRECTOR: 

M.  F.  MILLER,  IN  CHARGE  SOI  uC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001  105  553    0 

SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DEKALB  COUNTY, 
MISSOURI. 


H.  H.  KRUSEKOPF,  Ix  Charge,  R.  C.  DONEGIIITE,  and 

M.  M.  McCOOL,  OF  THE  University 

OF  Missouri, 


CURTIS  F.  MARBUT,  Ixspector  in  Charge. 


[Advance  Sheets— Field  Operations  of  tlie  Bureau  of  Soils,  1914.] 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT   PRINTrNf!   OFFICE. 

101& 


BUREAU  OF  SOILS. 

Milton  Whitney,  Chief  of  Bureau. 
Albebt  G.  Rice,  Chief  Cleric. 

SOIL   SLTKMSY. 

CuETis  F.  IMakbut,  In  Charge. 
G.  W.  Baumann,  ExceutivG  Assistant. 

committee   on    the   correlation   and   CLASSIFICATION    OF   SOILS. 

.Curtis  F.  J.Iarbut,  Chairman. 
Hugh  H.  Bennett,  Inspector,  Southern  Division. 
AV.  Edward  Hearn,  Inspector,  Soutliern  Division. 
Thomas  D.  Rice,  Inspector,  Northern  Division. 
W.  E.  McLendon,  Inspector,  Nortliern  Division. 
Macy  H.  Lapham,  Inspector,  Western  Division. 

J.  W.  McKericher,  Secretary. 


Issued  Septeml>er  9, 1916. 

U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU  OF  SOILS— MILTON  WHITNEY,  Chief. 

IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  MISSOURI  AGRICULTURAL 

EXPERIMENT   STATION,   F.    B.   MUMFORD,   DIRECTOR; 

M.  F.  MILLER,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL  SURVEY. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DEKALB  COUNTY, 


H.  H.  KKUSEKOPF,  In  Charge,  R.  C.  DONEGHUE,  and 

M.  M.  McCOOL,  OF  THE  University 

OF  Missouri. 


CURTIS  F.  MARBUT,  Inspector  in  Charge. 


[Adrance  Sheets— Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils,  1914.] 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1916. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 


U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Bureau  of  Soils, 
Washington,  D.  6'.,  March  13,  1916. 
Sir  :  During  the  field  season  of  1914  a  soil  survey  was  made  of 
Dekalb  County,  Missouri.    This  work  was  done  in  cooperation  with 
the  State  of  Missouri  and  the  selection  of  the  area  was  made  after 
conference  with  State  officials. 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  manuscript  report  and 
map  covering  this  area  and  to  recommend  their  publication  as  ad- 
vance sheets  of  Field  Operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Soils  for  1914,  as 
provided  by  law. 
.    Kespectfully, 

Milton  Whitney, 

Chief  of  Bureau. 
Hon.  D.  F.  Houston, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 


cci  ^^o3?^i 


CONTENTS 


Page. 
Soil  Survey  of  Dekalb  County,  Missouri.    By  H.  II.  Krusekopf,  I\ 

Charge,  R.  C.  Doneghue,  and  M.  Af.  McCool,  op  the  University  of 

Missouri 5 

Description  of  the  area 5 

Climate 7 

Agriculture 8 

Soils 13 

Shelby  loam 15 

Grundy  silt  loam 17 

Marshall  silt  loam 20 

Crawford  stony  loam 21 

Wabash  loam 21 

Wabash  silt  loam 22 

Wabash  clay..  23 

Summary 24 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


figure. 

Page. 
Fig.  1 .  Sketch  map  showing  location  of  the  Dekalb  County  area,  Miasouri. ...  5 

MAP. 

Soil  map,  Dekalb  County  sheet,  Missouri. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DEKALB  COUNTY,  MISSOURI. 

By  H.  H.  KRUSEKOPF,  In  Charge,  R.  C.  DONEGHUE,  and  M.  M.  McCOOL. 
of  the  University  of  Missouri. 

DESCRIPTION   OF  THE   AREA. 


Fui.    1. — Sketch    map    sbowing 
location  of  the  Dekalb  County 
area,  Missouri. 


Dekalb  County,  Mo.,  lies  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  State, 
midway  between  Kansas  City  and  the  Iowa  State  line  and  15  miles 
east  of  St.  Joseph.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Gentry  County, 
on  the  east  by  Daviess  and  Caldwell  Counties,  on  the  south  by  Clin- 
ton County,  and  on  the  west  by  Buchanan  and  Andrew  Counties.  It 
is  nearly  square  in  outline  and  measures  21  miles  east  and  west  and 
20  miles  north  and  south.  The  county 
has  an  area  of  417  square  miles,  or  266,880 
acres. 

Dekalb  Coimty  is  included  within  the 
physiographic  division  of  the  State  known 
as  the  Rolling  Prairie  of  northwestern 
Missouri.  It  occupies  a  broad,  rolling, 
well-dissected  plain,  with  a  gradual  slope  to 
the  south  and  southeast.  Broad,  flat  bot- 
toms a  re  developed  a  long  the  la  rger  streams. 
The  surface  varies  from  flat  to  moderately 
hilly,  although  more  than  80  per  cent  of  the  area  is  only  gently  rolling. 
No  considerable  part  of  the  county  is  too  flat  to  have  good  .surface 
drainage.  The  most  extensive  smooth  area  occurs  in  the  south-cen- 
tral part  of  the  county,  north  of  Osborn,  tapering  to  a  point  4  miles 
north  of  Amity.  A  number  of  long,  flat  ridges,  which  represent  in- 
terstream  divides,  varying  from  a  few  rods  to  several  miles  in  width 
and  from  1  mile  to  6  miles  in  length,  occur  in  all  parts  of  the  county. 
The  roughest  land  is  in  the  east-central  section  along  Grindstone 
Creek,  where  a  few  of  the  hills  are  precipitous.  The  larger  streams 
have  cut  their  channels  to  only  moderate  depths,  and  their  widely 
branching  inteimittent  tributaries  have  made  only  shallow  incisions 
in  the  original  surface,  so  that  the  ridges  and  hills  are  rounded  and 
the  slopes  gradual. 

The  chief  characteristics  of  the  topograjihy  are  the  level  plains, 
rounded  ridges,  and  gentle  slopes.  The  configuration,  due  entirely 
to  erosion,  has  been  developed  upon  an  original  wide,  unbroken  plain, 

5 


6  FIELD  OPERATIONS  OF   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1914. 

sloping  fjently  to  the  south.  The  remnants  of  this  phiin,  wliich  con- 
stitute the  flat  prairie  and  minor  plateaus,  are  steadily  being  en- 
croached upon  by  the  streams. 

The  averajje  elevation  of  the  flat  prairie  land  varies  from  1,080 
feet  above  sea  level  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  to  1,000  feet 
in  the  southern  part.  The  altitude  of  the  stream  valleys  varies  from 
850  to  000  foot.  The  difference  in  elevation  between  the  valleys  and 
the  adjoining  uplands  is  never  more  than  100  feet,  and  the  slopes  are 
seldom  too  steep  for  cultivation. 

The  di'ainage  of  the  eastern  part  of  Dekalb  County  flows  into 
Grindstone  Crook,  Avhich  enters  the  southoi-n  ]iart  of  the  county  near 
Osborn,  and  follows  a  northeasterly  course,  uniting  with  the  Grand 
River  about  a  mile  north  of  Santa  Rosa.  Lost  Creek  is  the  i)rincipal 
tributary  of  this  stream.  The  western  part  of  the  county  drains 
southward  through  Big  Third  Fork,  Little  Third  Fork,  and  Castile 
Creek  into  the  Platte  River.  In  general,  the  eastern  drainage  sys- 
tem has  cut  to  greater  depths  than  the  western  system.  "With  the 
exception  of  the  larger  creeks,  the  streams  are  dry  except  during  wet 
weather.  A  characteristic  feature  of  the  stream  development  is  the 
relatively  great  width  of  the  flood  plains  of  the  larger  streams. 

Springs  are  rare  in  the  county.  Occasionally  in  places  at  the  foot 
of  stream  bluffs  small  quantities  of  water  seep  from  seams  of  the 
indurated  rock,  but  there  are  no  springs  of  importance.  There  is, 
however,  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  an  abundant  supply  of  water  by 
means  of  dug  wells.  The  wells  usually  are  35  to  65  feet  in  depth, 
though  borings  have  been  made  to  105  feet.  The  depth  of  the  wells 
generally  is  equal  to  the  thickness  of  the  layers  of  unconsolidated 
material. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  this  region  only  a  small  part 
of  the  county  was  forested.  "VVliite  and  black  oak,  walnut,  hickory, 
hazel  brush,  and  sumac  predominated  on  the  uplands,  and  elm,  maple, 
sycamore,  hickory,  w\alnut,  and  oak  in  the  bottoms.  At  present  no 
merchantable  timber  remains.  The  forested  areas  are  now  confined 
to  narrow  strips  along  the  larger  streams,  particularly  Grindstone 
Creek,  and  represent  the  roughest  land. 

Dekalb  County  was  created  from  a  part  of  Ray  County  in  1845. 
The  first  settlement  in  the  region  was  made  in  1824:.  During  the 
following  30  years  the  population  increased  to  a  few  hundred,  most 
of  the  settlers  coming  from  Kentuclcy  and  Tennessee.  The  com- 
pletion of  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  Railroad  in  1859  did  much  to 
increase  immigration,  and  settlers  from  Illinois  and  other  near-by 
States  came  into  the  county.  The  present  population  consists  mainly 
of  descendants  of  the  early  settlers.  In  the  1900  census  the  popula- 
tion of  the  covmty  is  reported  as  14,418;  in  the  1910  census  it  is  given 


SOIL   SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  7 

as  12,531,  or  approximately  30  persons  to  tlie  scjuaie  mile.  Prac- 
tically all  the  population  is  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 

Maysville,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  1,051,  according 
to  the  1910  census.  Union  Star,  Stewartsville,  Osborn,  Clarksdale, 
Weatherby,  and  Santa  Rosa  are  smaller  towns  and  the  centers  of 
farming  communities.  Cameron,  in  Clinton  County,  and  King  City, 
in  Gentry  County,  are  trading  points  just  across  the  county  line 
which  receive  some  of  the  products  of  Dekalb  County. 

Dekalb  County  has  G8  miles  of  railroad.  A  branch  of  the  Chicago, 
Eock  Island  &  Pacific  passes  through  the  center  of  the  county  from 
east  to  west,  and  the  main  line  crosses  the  southeastern  corner.  The 
Quincy,  Omaha  &  Kansas  City  Pailway  crosses  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county,  and  branches  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy 
extend  through  the  northwestern  and  southern  sections.  These  rail- 
roads furnish  good  transportation  facilities  to  the  large  markets,  such 
as  Kansas  City,  St.  Joseph,  and  Chicago. 

The  wagon  roads  follow  land  lines,  irrespective  of  topography,  and 
for  this  reason  generally  are  moderately  hilly.  They  usually  are 
in  poor  condition  during  the  spring  and  winter  months. 

Aside  from  its  soil,  Dekalb  County  has  no  natural  resources  of 
economic  importance.  Several  small  limestone  quarries  supply  a 
poor  grade  of  rough  building  stone.  The  cutting  of  walnut  logs  is  no 
longer  of  any  importance.  Farming,  in  its  varied  forms,  is  the  pre- 
dominating industry  and  has  reached  a  high  stage  of  development. 

CLIMATE. 

The  climate  of  Dekalb  County  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  of 
all  northern  Missouri.  The  mean  annual  temperature  is  about  53°  F., 
as  compared  with  a  mean  of  51.G°  for  the  State,  while  the  mean 
annual  precipitation  is  about  35  inches,  as  compared  with  a  mean  of 
39.17  inches  for  the  State.  Zero  weather  is  rare  during  December, 
but  occurs  in  January  and  February,  altliough  it  seldom  lasts  more 
than  three  days  at  a  time.  The  annual  snowfall  averages  about  '20 
inches.  There  is  seldom  more  than  a  G-inch  fall  at  one  time.  Late 
frosts,  which  sometimes  injure  fi-uit  ti-ees,  occur  in  April  and  occa- 
sionally in  May.  The  average  date  of  the  last  killing  frost  in  the 
spring,  as  determined  from  records  covering  a  period  of  12  years,  is 
May  1,  and  that  of  the  first  killing  frost  in  fall  ( )ctober  8.  This  gives 
a  noi-mal  growing  season  of  100  days.  Pastures  can  be  used  eight 
months  of  the  year. 

The  pi-ecipitation  is  well  distributed  tliroughout  tlie  year,  the  heavi- 
est rainfall  occurring  during  the  growing  season,  from  May  to  Sep- 
tember, and  the  lightest  in  the  winter  months.  Occasional  droughts, 
four  to  six  weeks  in  duration,  may  occur  in  August  and  Sojitember, 
but  are  usually  withstood  by  the  soil  without  serious  danuige  to  crops. 
33035°— 16 2 


8 


FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF    THE   BUREAU   OF'  SOILS^  1914. 


The  following  tables  are  compiled  from  the  records  of  the  Weather 
Bureau  stations  at  Gallatin,  Daviess  County,  and  Fairport,  Dekalb 
County.  The  records  of  the  Gallatin  station  cover  a  period  of  16 
years  and  those  of  the  P'airport  station  a  period  of  14  years. 

NoruHtl  monthly,  seasonal,  and  annual  Icnipcraturc  ami  prcnpllation. 


dallatin,  Daviess  County  (elevation  803  feet). 

Fairport,  Dekalb  County 
(elevation  535  feet). 

Month. 

Temperature. 

Precipitation. 

Precipitation. 

Mean. 

Absolute 
maxi- 
mum. 

Absolute 
mini- 
mum. 

Mean. 

Total 
amount 
for  the 

driest 
year. 

Total 
amount 
for  the 
wettest 

year. 

Mean. 

Total 
amount. 
for  the 
driest 
year. 

Total 

amount 

for  the 

wettest 

year. 

December 

January 

"F. 
30.3 
27.0 
25.9 

"F. 
68 
66 
72 

'F. 
-24 

-12 
-22 

Inches. 
1.47 
1.20 
1.64 

Inches. 
0.60 
1.05 
2.34 

Inches. 
2.50 
5.13 
1.39 

Inches. 
1.15 
1.15 
1.39 

Inches. 
1.45 

.49 
1.16 

Inches. 
1.74 
3.94 

February 

1.30 

Winter 

27.7 

72 

-24 

4.31 

3.99 

9.02 

3.69 

3.10 

6.98 

40.2 
54.8 
64.3 

85 
92 
94 

1 
12 
32 

2.59 
3.54 
5.76 

2.24 
3.54 
1.12 

5.25 
3.63 
10.14 

2.14 
3.01 
5.00 

2.98 
2.42 
1.59 

2.97 

April 

4.20 

May 

8.36 

Spring 

53.1 

94 

1 

11.89 

6.90 

19.02 

10.15 

6.99 

15.53 

June 

73.0 
77.2 
76.2 

101 
112 
102 

38 
36 

48 

4.72 
4.70 
4.54 

1.52 
2.15 
4.50 

10.10 
5.69 
5.39 

4.95 
4.14 
4.33 

2.68 
1.78 
1.20 

10.71 

July 

6.50 

August 

4.24 

Summer. . . 

75.5 

112 

36 

13.96 

8.17 

21.18 

13.42 

5.66 

21.45 

September 

October 

69.2 
58.2 
41.6 

103 

92 
75 

30 

22 

1 

4.18 
2.61 

1.67 

1.86 
0.52 
2.63 

8.10 

5.78 
1.02 

4.19 
2.22 
1.42 

5.31 

1.72 

.50 

10.50 
4.26 

November 

1.25 

FaU 

56.3 

103 

1 

8.46 

5.01 

14.90 

7.83 

7.53 

16.01 

Year 

53.2 

112 

-24 

38.62 

24.07 

64. 12  1    35. 09 

23.28 

59.97 

AGRICULTURE. 

The  agricultural  development  of  Dekalb  County  was  easily  and 
rapidl}^  accomplished.  There  were  no  extensive  forests  to  be  removed, 
and  large  areas  of  prairie  land  were  available  for  immediate  cultiva- 
tion. The  prairie  land  was  well  suited  to  grain  growing,  as  opera- 
tions could  be  conducted  on  a  large  scale,  and  bringing  the  land  under 
cultivation  required  little  expenditure  of  money  and  time. 

Natural  conditions  in  Dekalb  County  also  favored  stock  raising. 
The  extensive  prairies  furnished  abundant  summer  pasturage  for 
large  herds  of  caitle  and  the  dry  grass  provided  forage  until  late  in 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF  DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  9 

the  Avinter.  In  favorable  years  the  stock  could  go  through  the  Avinter 
without  feed  other  than  that  obtained  from  the  range.  The  timbered 
areas  in  the  bottoms  and  elsewhere  furnished  an  abundant  supply  of 
mast  for  raising  hogs  and  preparing  them  for  market.  Under  such 
favorable  conditions  the  agriculture  of  Dekalb  County  from  the  time 
of  its  earliest  settlement  has  been  based  on  the  growing  of  the  staple 
crops,  together  with  the  raising  of  live  stock. 

"With  the  advent  of  the  first  railroad  in  1859  an  impetus  was  given 
to  agriculture,  markets  being  made  more  accessible.  Prior  to  that 
time  the  surplus  gi-ain  and  stock  were  shipped  from  Liberty,  40  miles 
south  of  the  county,  on  the  INIissouri  Kiver,  by  boat.  Corn,  oats, 
wheat,  rye,  and  flax  were  the  princijial  cro]:)s  grown,  but  the  sale  of 
these  products  furnished  a  relatively  small  part  of  the  farmers'  in- 
come. The  Missouri  Agricultural  Report  for  1874  contains  the  fol- 
lowing statement: 

The  cultivated  grasses  are  l)eiiifr  introduced  for  pasture,  an<l  do  finely. 
Bluegrass  is  gradually  superseding  the  grass  pastures.  Farmers  and  stock 
growers  are  paying  considerable  attention  to  improved  breeds  of  stock. 

Prior  to  1880  grain  farming  was  of  more  importance  than  stock 
raising.  The  latter  industry  then  became  more  profitable,  and  much 
of  the  land  was  seeded  Avith  grass.  The  area  devoted  to  corn  was 
greatly  reduced,  and  the  acreage  in  wheat  and  oats  was  decreased 
more  than  one-half. 

The  present  agriculture  of  the  county  consists  of  a  combination  of 
grain  farming  and  stock  raising.  Corn  is  and  always  has  been  the 
most  important  cultivated  crop.  The  average  total  area  devoted  to 
this  crop  during  the  last  six  years  has  been  approximately  100,000 
acres,  or  about  37  per  cent  of  the  total  area  of  the  county.  The 
1910  census  reports  80,325  acres  in  corn  in  1909.  The  average  yield 
is  about  27  to  30  bushels  per  acre.  Very  little  corn  is  shipped  out  of 
the  county,  most  of  it  being  used  for  fattening  stock.  Only  a  small 
part  of  the  crop  is  cut  and  shorUed.  The  greater  part  is  either  husUed 
or  snapped,  the  stalk  fields  being  used  as  forage  ground  for  stock. 

Next  to  corn,  oats  are  the  most  important  crop.  The  acreage 
varies  greatly  from  year  to  year.  This  crop  was  grown  most  exten- 
sively in  the  period  from  1870  to  1880;  since  then  the  acreage  has 
steadily  decreased.  In  the  1910  census  the  total  area  in  oats  is  re- 
ported as  13.970  acres.  The  yields,  too,  are  variable,  and  range  from 
almost  complete  crop  failures  to  50  or  GO  bushels  per  acre,  depending 
on  the  season.     For  1913  a  total  of  11,571  acres  is  reported  in  oats. 

The  acreage  in  wheat  also  fluctuates  from  year  to  year.  Thef  1910 
census  reports  a  total  of  G,558  acres  in  this  crop.  The  average  yield 
per  acre  is  about  17  bushels,  although  maximum  yields  of  30  bushels 
are  reported.  The  aiva  in  1913  was  7,5C)S  acres,  with  an  average 
yield  of  23  bushels  per  acre.    There  is  at  present  a  tendency  towanl 


10  FIELD   OPERATIONS    OF    THE    JUJREAIJ    OF    KOII.S,  11)14. 

a  more  extensive  production  of  this  ceieul.  The  soils  are  well 
adapted  to  the  crop  and  the  present  high  prices  make  wheat  grow- 
ing more  profitable  than  stock  raising.  Connnercial  fertilizers  give 
best  results  when  used  on  some  small  grain  such  as  wheat.  The 
continuous  production  of  corn  has  decreased  the  productiveness  of 
many  fields,  making  the  adoption  of  some  system  of  crop  rotation 
almost  imperative.  Wheat,  being  the  most  f)rofitable  of  the  small 
grains  and  a  good  nurse  crop  for  clover  and  grasses,  promises  to 
become  an  important  crop  in  the  rotation. 

A  small  acreage  is  sown  to  rye  as  a  cover  crop  and  for  early  spring 
pasture.  Kafir  corn  and  sorghum  are  of  some  importance  as  forage 
crops.  A  few  farmers  grow  cowpeas,  usually  in  the  corn  fields,  for 
pasture  or  as  a  green  manuring  crop.  Some  tobacco  is  grown,  and 
the  results  obtained  justify  the  more  extensive  production  of  this 
crop.    Broom  corn  is  no  longer  grown  on  a  commercial  scale. 

Fruit  growing  is  of  no  economic  importance  in  Dekalb  County, 
although  the  soils  are  fairly  w^ell  adapted  to  fruits.  The  occasional 
injury  resulting  from  early  spring  frosts  minimizes  the  profits  ob- 
tained from  this  source.  A  small  orchard  sufficient  to  supply  the 
home  demand  is  found  on  almost  every  farm.  On  account  of  the 
lack  of  near-by  markets,  bush  fruits  and  truck  crops  are  not  grown 
on  a  commercial  scale. 

The  average  total  area  in  hay  during  the  last  five  years  has  been 
about  34,000  acres.  The  1910  census  rex)orts  32,213  acres  in  hay  and 
forage  crops.  The  average  yield  is  approximately  1^  tons  per  acre. 
The  hay  grasses  consist  of  timothy,  redtop,  and  clover.  Sometimes 
clover  is  sown  alone,  but  more  often  it  is  seeded  with  timothy. 
When  it  is  grown  alone,  the  second  cutting  is  used  for  seed;  when 
it  is  mixed  with  timothy  the  fields  are  used  for  pasture  after  the 
first  crop  has  been  removed  for  hay.  After  two  or  three  years  the 
land  usually  is  plowed  and  put  in  corn.  The  acreage  devoted  to 
clover  is  small,  although  the  crop  thrives,  especially  on  the  Shelby 
loam  soil.  The  plants  are  sometimes  injured  in  the  winter  by  "  heav- 
ing." The  growth  of  the  dairy  industry  is  doing  much  to  encour- 
age the  growing  of  clover.  All  the  hay  produced  is  used  locally. 
Alfalfa  is  not  grown  extensively  in  Dekalb  County,  but  there  is  no 
apparent  reason  why  the  crop  could  not  be  made  to  thrive  on  the 
better  areas  of  the  Shelby  loam  and  on  the  well-drained  alhnial 
soils.  It  is  an  important  crop  on  the  Shelby  loam  in  eastern  Ne- 
braska, and  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  the  same  soil  should 
not  produce  this  crop  successfully  in  Dekalb  County  with  proper 
attention. 

The  county  lies  in  the  center  of  the  bluegrass-seed  producing 
region  of  Missouri,  and  large  quantities  of  the  seed  are  sold  annu- 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  11 

ally.  The  yield  of  seed  is  fiom  8  to  14  bushels  per  acre,  12  bushels 
beino;  a  fair  average.  The  seed  is  harvested  during  the  first  two  or 
three  weeks  in  June. 

With  its  excellent  pastures,  favorable  climate,  and  desirable  loca- 
tion with  respect  to  markets  and  tlie  corn  belt,  Dekalb  County  is 
an  important  live-stock  region.  A  permanent  Iduegrass  ])asture  in 
which  white  clover  frequently  is  sown  forms  a  part  of  every  farm. 
Bluegrass  is  indigenous  to  tlie  soils,  and  grows  voluntarily  in  fields 
left  uncultivated  for  two  years.  The  general  prosperity  of  the  region 
is  due  to  the  live-stock  industry,  and  as  a  source  of  income  it  has 
always  held  first  place.  The  1010  census  reports  17,114  cattle  and 
3,052  calves  sold  or  slaughtered,  2,880  horses  and  mules  sold,  and 
77,380  hogs  and  9,336  sheep  and  goats  sold  or  slaughtered  on  farms. 

In  addition  to  the  large  number  of  cattle  raised  each  year,  feeders 
are  brought  in  from  St.  Joseph  and  Kansas  City  and  prepared 
for  market.  Well-bred  cattle  are  raised  almost  exclusively  in  this 
countv.  Hog  raising  is  carried  on  in  conjunction  with  cattle  laising, 
and  is  a  source  of  revenue  on  every  farm.  Small  flocks  of  sheep  are 
found  in  all  parts  of  the  county,  and  it  is  probable  that  their  number 
could  be  increased  with  profit.  Each  year  western  sheep  are  ])rought 
into  the  county  to  be  fed  for  market.  A  few  horses  and  mules  arc 
raised  for  sale  on  almost  every  farm.  Even  where  the  farm  is  not 
devoted  mainly  to  live  stork,  the  raising  or  fattening  of  stock  is  an 
important  and  profitable  adjunct.  This  is  true  of  the  small  farms  as 
well  as  of  those  upon  which  operations  are  on  a  more  extensive  scale. 

All  parts  of  Dekalb  County  are  well  suited  to  dairying,  and  the 
tendency  is  toward  an  extension  of  this  industr3\  Few  farms  make 
a  specialty  of  dairying,  but  there  are  many  farms  on  which  10  to  15 
milch  cows  are  kept.  Both  milk  and  cream  are  shipped  out  of  the 
county.  Dairying  has  its  greatest  development  in  the  vicinity  of 
CLarksdale  and  Maysville.  St.  Joseph  and  Kansas  City  are  the 
principal  markets  for  the  products. 

There  have  been  few  changes  in  the  general  agricultural  practices 
in  Dekalb  County  during  the  last  50  years,  and  the  stability  indi- 
cates that  those  ])revailing  ai-e  the  most  suitable  for  the  region.  The 
rotation  of  crops  is  often  practiced  more  because  of  convenience  in 
management  than  because  of  its  beneficial  effects  upon  the  soils  and 
the  resulting  increase  in  cro])  yields.  The  usual  practice  is  to  gi-ow 
corn  two  or  three  years  and  oats  one  year,  after  which  the  land 
is  seeded  down  to  remain  in  mowing  land  or  pasture  for  several  sea- 
sons or  until  the  sod  luns  out  and  i-e(|uires  renewal.  This  system  is 
often  varied  by  substituting  wheat  for  oats.  In  the  creek  bottoms 
grass  is  seldom  allowed  to  remain  more  than  one  season,  as  the 
alluvial  soils  are  in  great  demand  for  corn. 


12  FIELD  OPERATIONS   OP   TPIE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1914. 

Agricultural  motliods  on  tlie  impottant  upland  types  are  quite 
Avcll  adnjjtod  to  pi'cscnt  conditions.  The  live-stock  industry  creates 
a  ^ood  demand  for  hay,  corn,  and  grain,  and  rotations  are  planned  to 
supply  these  crops.  Improved  fai*m  machinery  is  in  general  use, 
and  as  a  rule  good  systems  of  cultivation  are  practice<l.  Barnyard 
manure  is  rather  carefully  saved,  and  this  is  supplemented  by  feed- 
ing large  numbers  of  cattle  on  the  fields. 

In  general  the  soils  of  the  county  are  in  fair  physical  condition,  but 
in  many  places  corn  is  gi-own  too  frequently  and  the  stalks  are  burned, 
resulting  in  injury  to  the  tilth  of  the  soil.  This  condition  of  poor 
tilth  is  becoming  more  serious  on  many  farms  and  is  one  of  the  factors 
that  limit  crop  yields.  The  remedy  is  to  increase  the  organic-matter 
content  by  plowing  under  crop  residues,  such  as  corn  stalks,  straw,  and 
clover,  instead  of  selling  them  from  the  farm  or  burning  them,  as  is 
often  done.  The  occasional  turning  under  of  a  legume  as  a  green- 
manuring  crop  also  would  prove  beneficial.  The  growing  of  clover 
aids  greatly  in  the  restoration  of  the  organic-matter  content.  As  a 
large  part,  probably  35  per  cent,  of  the  agricultural  land  of  the 
county  is  in  sod,  much  of  which  is  permanent  pasture  and  mowing 
land,  the  improvement  of  the  sod  is  of  great  importance.  The 
reseeding  of  old  sod  land  is  profitable,  and  top  dressing  with  manure 
gives  good  results. 

The  census  of  1910  reports  a  total  of  2,186  farms  in  Dekalb  County. 
The  average  size  of  the  farms  is  given  as  120.5  acres.  There  are 
only  a  few  holdings  of  more  than  500  or  less  than  25  acres.  Of  the 
total  land  area  of  the  county,  96.9  per  cent  is  reported  in  farms,  and 
of  the  farm  land  93.3  per  cent  is  reported  improved.  The  percentage 
of  improved  land  in  farms  is  exceeded  by  only  one  county  in  the 
State.  Of  the  total  number  of  farms,  67.5  per  cent  are  reported 
operated  by  the  owners;  practically  all  the  remainder  are  operated 
by  tenants.  As  a  rule  the  tenants  are  grain  farmers  and  the  owners 
stock  farmers.  There  is  great  need  of  a  system  of  longer  leases,  in 
order  to  make  possible  the  use  of  farming  methods  that  will  main- 
tain the  productiveness  of  the  soil. 

The  average  value  of  farm  land  is  reported  in  the  1910  census  as 
$68.44  an  acre,  showing  a  decided  increase  over  the  average  value 
of  $31.90  an  acre  reported  in  1900.  Land  values  range  from  $75  to 
$150  an  acre,  the  higher  prices  prevailing  nearer  the  towns.  The 
range  in  prices  has  no  absolute  ;i'elation  to  the  class  of  soil.  In 
general  land  values  are  increasing.  Few  farms  change  hands  and  the 
improvements  that  are  made  are  of  a  permanent  type. 

The  total  value  of  all  farm  proj^erty  in  the  county  is  reported  in 
1910  as  $24,769,693,  practically  twice  that  reported  in  1900. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  13 

SOILS. 

The  soils  of  Dekalb  County  may  be  classed  in  three  broad  frroiips — 
glacial,  loessial,  and  alluvial.  In  area  the  glacial  soils  rank  first  and 
the  alluvial  soils  next. 

The  geological  formation  covering  practically  all  the  county  is 
the  Kansan  drift  of  the  Pleistocene  period.  Only  a  small  part  of 
the  soil  in  the  county  is  residual  from  the  basal  rocks,  but  the  under- 
lying limestone  and  shale  have  entered  largely  into  the  formation 
of  the  glacial  debris  covering  them.  Along  the  western  ])<)undary 
of  the  county  the  surface  material  has  the  characteristics  of  loess, 
and  may  have  been  deposited  by  the  wind. 

The  basal  rocks  consist  of  alternating  l)eds  of  limestone  and  shale 
and  in  places  thin  beds  of  sandstone,  belonging  to  the  Tapper  Coal 
Measures.  It  is  only  along  the  deeper  stream  cuts,  particularly  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  that  the  more  resistant  limestone  beds 
are  exposed,  giving  rise  to  the  Crawford  soil.  The  soil  material  de- 
rived from  weathering  of  this  rock  is  characterized  by  a  dark-brown 
color.  It  is  everywhere  thoroughly  mixed  with  material  from  the 
overlying  glacial  till.  On  account  of  its  small  extent  and  rough 
topography,  the  Crawford  soil  is  of  negligible  importance. 

The  glacial  material  consists  of  a  heterogeneous  mass  of  sand,  silt, 
and  clay,  and  is  known  to  geologists  as  belonging  to  the  Kansan 
stage  of  glaciation.  This  mass  of  material,  forming  most  of  the  soil 
of  the  county,  was  largely  brought  into  the  area  from  the  north. 
A  considerable  percentage  of  the  drift,  however,  is 'of  local  origin. 
and  consists  of  material  ground  from  the  underlying  limestone  and 
shale.  Owing  to  the  varied  sources  of  the  deposit,  it  includes  quite  a 
w'ide  range  of  mineralogical  material. 

The  greater  part  of  the  drift  occurs  as  a  mixed  mass  of  different- 
sized  particles,  ranging  from  the  finer  grades  of  sand,  with  some  silt 
and  clay,  to  bowlders.  This  intimate  amalgamation  of  material  was 
due  to  the  grinding  and  mixing  action  of  the  glacier  passing  over 
rock  surfaces  and  the  trans])ortation  of  the  material  to  the  point  of 
deposition.  In  this  work  of  transportation  the  glacier  was  aided  by 
streams  that  flowed  from  beneath  its  southern  edge.  So  great  in 
extent  was  this  mass  of  material  and  so  powerful  were  the  agents  of 
distribution  that  the  resulting  glacial  dejiosits  cover  not  only  Dekalb 
County,  but  practically  all  of  noithern  Missouri,  the  original  depth 
ranging  from  50  to  150  feet.  Tlie  material,  being  very  susceptible  to 
erosion,  has  become  greatly  modified  in  topography,  so  that  now  the 
surface  has  the  appearance  of  a  thoroughly  dissected  plain.  The  sur- 
face layer  of  diift  has  been  modified  also  by  leachiTig  and  oxidation 
and  the  carrying  away  in  suspension  of  the  liner  particles  of  earth. 


14 


FIELD   OPEBATIONS    OF    TlfK    BUREAU    OV   SOILS,  1014. 


leaving  a  yellow  to  brownish-yellow,  sticky,  sandy  clay,  with  an 
accumulation  of  sand  at  the  siii-face.  Many  conci-etions  of  lime  car- 
bonate and  white,  calcareous  streaks,  togethei-  with  o(!casional  iron 
pipes,  arc  found.  It  is  this  modified  drift  which  gives  rise  to  the 
Shelby  loam. 

Overlying  the  glacial  drift  is  a  layer  of  fine  earth  that  is  generally 
considered  to  be  loess.  Its  true  mode  of  oiigin  has  never  been 
definitely  determined.  Some  geologists  believe  it  to  have  been  de- 
posited by  wind,  others  by  water,  and  still  others  hold  it  to  Vjc  merely 
The  thoroughly  weathered  surface  layer  of  the  Kansan  drift.  In 
depth  it  varies  from  3  to  10  feet,  the  greater  depth  usually  occurring 
in  the  western  part  of  the  county.  Erosion  has  reduced  its  occur- 
rence to  the  flat  ridges  known  locally  as  prairies.  Similar  material 
is  encountered  on  the  terraces  of  the  larger  streams  of  the  count3^ 
The  weathering  of  this  material  has  given  rise  to  the  soils  mapped  as 
the  Grundy  silt  loam  and  the  Marshall  silt  loam.  These  soils  differ 
greatly  in  their  physical  characteristics.  The  Grundy  soils  occupy 
level  upland  prairies,  and  have  black  surface  soils  with  drab  or  brown 
impervious  subsoils  of  fine  texture  and  close  structure.  The  Mar- 
shall soils  have  a  gently  rolling  topography  and  dark-brown,  mellow 
subsoils.  On  the  crests  of  the  narrow  ridges  and  along  the  outer 
border  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam,  where  weathering  is  further  ad- 
vanced, the  Grundy  silt  loam,  rolling  phase,  is  mapped.  It  differs 
from  the  typical  soil  in  that  it  is  slightly  more  eroded  and  has  had 
much  of  the  clay  content  washed  out. 

The  material  carried  by  the  drainage  from  the  uplands  and  de- 
posited and  assorted  in  the  flood  plains  of  the  streams  gives  rise  to 
three  soil  types  classed  with  the  Wabash  series.  The  Wabash  loam 
occurs  along  the  smaller  streams,  and  is  both  alluvial  and  colluvial 
in  origin.  The  Wabash  silt  loam  and  Wabash  clay  comprise  the 
larger  areas  of  bottom  land.  The  latter  is  found  only  where  the  flood 
plains  are  wide.  In  general,  the  Wabash  soils  are  characterized  by 
their  dark  color  and  high  content  of  organic  matter. 

The  following  table  gives  the  name  and  the  actual  and  relative 
extent  of  each  soil  type  mapped  in  Dekalb  County : 

Areas  of  different  soils. 


Soil. 

Acres. 

Percent. 

Soil. 

Acras. 

Per  cent. 

Shelby  loam 

145,088 
17,024 
49, 472 
28,800 
19,264 

54.4 

i        24.9 

10.  S 
7.2 

Marshall  silt  loam 

3,840 
2,240 
1,152 

1.5 

Wabash  clav 

.8 

Crawford  stony  loam 

.4 

Wabash  silt  loam 

Total 

266,880 

SOIL  SURVFA'   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  15 


SHELHY  LOAM. 


The  surface  soil  of  the  Shelhy  loam  consists  of  a  dark-brown  to 
brown  loam  or  fine  sandy  loam,  grading  at  about  8  to  10  inches 
into  a  dark-brown  to  grayish-brown  heavy  loam  which  becomes 
heavier  with  depth.  The  subsoil  from  about  15  to  40  inches  is  a 
rather  stiff,  tenacious  sandy  clay,  yellowish  to  reddish  brown  in  color, 
and  frequently  mottled  with  gray  and  brown  in  the  lower  part. 

The  depth  and  the  color  of  the  dark  surface  material  vary  some- 
what with  the  topography.  In  the  gently  rolling  areas  where  the 
soil  is  well  supplied  with  organic  matter  it  is  much  deeper  and  is 
darker  in  color  than  on  the  steeper  slopes  where  erosion  is  more 
active.  In  general,  the  Shelby  loam  in  the  northern  and  western 
parts  of  the  county  averages  darker  in  color  than  in  the  eastern  and 
southern  parts. 

Quartz  gravel  and  sand  are  disseminated  throughout  the  3-foot 
soil  section,  and  large  gi'anite  and  conglomerate  bowlders  are  some- 
times present.  Large  masses  of  lime  concretions  and  calcareous 
streaks  are  present  in  the  subsoil  and  are  a  characteristic  of  the  type. 
Although  the  subsoil  consists  largely  of  clay,  the  c(mtent  of  sand  is 
sufficient  to  give  it  a  somewhat  friable  structure  and  to  make  it  suffi- 
ciently porous  to  permit  the  ready  percolation  of  water.  When  ex- 
posed to  the  weather  the  sul)soil  breaks  up  into  small  cubes. 

Occasionally  pockets  of  steel-gray  to  bluish,  very  sticky  clay  are 
found  immediately  below  the  surface  soil.  Areas  where  these  occur 
probably  indicate  the  location  of  small  basins  or  pools  during  glacial 
times.  Thin  lenses  of  waterworn  chert  gravel  are  sometimes  seen  in 
the  subsoil  in  road  cuts.  The  lower  strata  consist  of  a  heterogeneous 
mass  of  clay,  sand,  gi-avel,  and  bowlders,  which  constitute  the  un- 
weathered  glacial  till  from  which  the  type  is  derived.  The  thickness 
of  this  till  ranges  from  10  to  90  feet  or  more. 

That  the  glacial  till  in  places  is  largely  composed  of  ground-up 
material  from  the  local  rocks  is  indicated  by  the  character  of  the  soil. 
Around  Stewartsville,  in  the  area  drained  by  Castile  Creek,  there  is 
a  variation  of  the  Shelby  loam,  resembling  the  white-oak  lands 
(Lindley  loam)  in  northeastern  Missouri.  It  contains  less  sand  and 
more  clay,  is  lighter  in  color,  contains  less  organic  matter,  and  is  less 
productive  than  the  typical  soil.  This  variation  is  no  doubt  largely 
derived  from  decomposed  shale.  On  the  lower  slopes  along  Grind- 
stone Creek  a  variation  of  the  Shelby  loam  is  encounlei-ed  where  the 
soil  is  almost  a  sandy  loam  in  texture.  The  material  here  is  appar- 
ently derived  largely  from  the  underlying  sandstone  and  shale. 

The  Shelby  loam  is  by  far  the  most  extensive  soil  type  in  Dekalb 
County.  Except  for  comparatively  small  areas  of  Marshall  silt  loam, 
it  comprises  all  the  rolling  and  hilly  upland.     It  is  characterized  by 


16  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE   BUREAU    OF   SOILS,  1914. 

a  remarkable  uniformity  in  its  physical  properties  and  natural  pro- 
ductiveness in  all  parts  of  the  county.  Suiface  (IrniuMfi^e  is  every- 
where thorough,  and  frequently  excessive.  The  native  vegetation  of 
the  rolling  land  consisted  of  prairie  grass.  The  more  broken  areas 
were  covered  with  a  growth  of  white  and  black  oak,  hickory,  elm,  ash, 
linden,  and  walnut. 

Probably  one-half  the  type  is  used  for  the  production  of  com,  and 
the  remainder  mainly  for  oats,  hay,  and  pasturage.  Corn  yields 
range  from  35  to  50  bushels  per  acre.  A  small  acreage  is  annually 
devoted  to  wheat,  and  yields  of  12  to  20  bushels  per  acre  are  ob- 
tained. The  prevailing  opinion  is  that  this  rolling  land  is  not  so  well 
adapted  to  wheat  as  are  the  level  prairie  lands.  The  Shelby  loam  is 
an  excellent  grass  soil,  and  bluegrass  is  indigenous  to  it.  Where  this 
grass  is  established  and  properly  cared  for  it  grows  luxuriantly  and 
remains  indefinitely. 

Clover  does  well  on  this  soil  under  proper  conditions.  Yields  aver- 
age from  1  to  1|  tons  of  hay  per  acre.  "WTiere  surface  and  subsoil 
drainage  are  complete,  and  where  the  soil  is  rich  in  organic  matter, 
alfalfa  gives  fair  yields.  Only  a  small  part  of  the  type  is  suited  to 
orcharding,  although  home  orchards  do  well  in  the  more  elevated  and 
rolling  areas.  It  is  f)robable  that  the  Shelby  loam  will  continue  one 
of  the  leading  soils  for  general  farming  and  will  not  be  used  to  a 
large  extent  for  the  production  of  special  croi:)s,  except  the  vegetables 
and  fruit  required  for  home  use.  It  is  not  well  adapted  to  grain 
growing  alone,  but  is  admirably  suited  to  combined  gi'ain  and  stock 
farming.  Under  this  system  the  marked  adaptation  of  the  soil  to  the 
production  of  grass  can  be  utilized  in  the  most  profitable  way,  the 
productiveness  of  the  soil  maintained,  and  erosion  controlled. 

The  rolling  topography  causes  considerable  loss  by  erosion  unless 
good  soil  management  is  practiced,  and  it  is  advisable  to  grow  winter 
cover  crops,  such  as  rye,  wheat^r  oats.  "Wliere  fall  plowing  is  done 
it  should  be  at  least  8  inches  deep  and  the  land  left  as  rough  and  open 
as  possible  through  the  winter  in  order  to  absorb  the  moisture.  Land 
given  shallow  fall  plowing,  or  fall-plowed  land  which  is  not  left 
open  and  rough,  washes  badly. 

Of  chief  importance  in  the  management. of  this  type  is  the  main- 
tenance of  the  organic-matter  and  nitrogen  supply.  A  rotation  of 
crops  is  one  of  the  first  essentials,  and  should  be  based  on  some 
legume,  such  as  clover.  Clover  does  well  on  most  of  this  soil  type, 
and  there  is  little  difficulty  in  maintaining  the  organic-matter  con- 
tent, provided  clover  is  grown  frequently,  the  hay  is  fed  back  on  the 
land,  and  occasional  gi'een  crops  are  turned  under.  Crop  rotation 
alone  is  not  sufficient  for  maintaining  the  organic-matter  content,  and, 
in  addition,  either  the  crops  must  be  fed  and  the  manure  carefully 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUXTY,  MISSOURI.  17 

returned  to  the  soil  or,  if  the  crops  are  sold,  legumes  should  be 
grown  for  turning  under. 

The  Shelby  loam  is  not  greatly  in  need  of  lime,  but  where  it  is 
found  to  be  acid  the  application  of  1  to  2  tons  of  ground  limestone 
per  acre  is  beneficial.  The  lime  is  best  applied  after  the  ground  is 
plowed,  so  that  it  can  be  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  soil  by  subse- 
quent cultivation. 

On  the  Shelby  loam  in  Dekalb  County  very  little  commercial  fer- 
tilizer is  used.  AMierever  phosphates  in  readily  available  form  have 
been  tried  good  results  have  followed,  particularly  with  wheat. 
Applications  of  a  good  grade  of  acid  phosphate  or  steamed  bone 
meal  on  wheat,  at  the  rate  of  about  150  pounds  per  acre,  have  proved 
beneficial.  Such  treatment  also  goes  far  to  insure  a  good  stand 
of  clover  when  this  crop  is  to  follow  wheat  in  the  rotation.  Fer- 
tilizers alone  can  not  be  depended  upon  to  maintain  the  productive- 
ness of  the  soil,  but  should  be  supplemented  by  manure,  preferably 
applied  before  com.  Under  the  live-stock  system  of  farming  the 
need  of  fertilizers  has  not  been  felt  to  any  marked  degree,  but  with 
increased  gi-ain  growing  or  with  neglect  in  manuring  the  use  of 
fertilizers,  especially  on  such  crops  as  alfalfa,  wheat,  and  oats,  will 
in  many  cases  prove  profitable.* 

Land  values  on  the  Shelby  loam  type  of  soil  range  from  $50  to 
$100  an  acre,  averaging  somewhat  lower  than  those  on  the  Grundy 
silt  loam. 

GBtTNDY  SILT  I.OAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam  to  a  depth  of  8  to  12 
inches  is  a  uniform  silt  loam,  black  or  dark  brown  to  dark  gray 
in  color.  It  contains  a  fair  supply  of  organic  matter  and  is  frial)le, 
loose,  and  easily  tilled.  The  subsurface  soil,  extending  from  about 
10  to  16  inches,  typically  is  a  dark  grayish  brown,  heavy  silt  loam. 
It  usually  contains  a  slightly  larger  percentage  of  clay  than  the 
surface  soil,  especially  as  the  rolling  phase  of  the  type  is  approached. 
In  the  smooth,  poorly  drained  areas  there  is  a  subsurface  layer, 
1  to  3  inches  in  thickness,  of  light-gray  silty  material.  This  stratum 
corresponds  to  the  light  ashen  gray  layer  in  the  related  Putiiam  silt 
loam  of  the  northeastern  Missouri  prairies,  but  is  shallower  and  much 
darker  in  color. 

The  subsoil  is  a  dark-brown  to  dral),  heavy,  plastic  clay,  changing 
at  about  24  inches  to  a  yellowish-gray,  plastic  clay,  mottled  with 
brown  and  gray.  At  a  depth  of  4  to  0  feet  the  yellowish-gray  clay 
of  the  ghuial  till,  which  cverywliore  underlies  the  Grundy  silt  loam, 

1  See  "  Soil  Exporimcnts  on  the  Rolling  Olaclal  Land  of  Vortli  Missouri."  Bnl.  No.  128, 
Missouri  College  of  Agriculture. 


18  FTFJ-D   OPERATTONR   OF   THE   BTTPJ-UU    OF   ROILS,  1914. 

is  encountered.  The  iij^por  stratum  of  the  su])Soi],  as  exposed  in 
sti-eam  or  roadside  cuts,  is  cliai-acterized  by  its  cliocolatc-ljrown 
coloi".  It  is  rather  impervious  to  water,  and  is  often,  thotigli  im- 
j)roperly,  called  "hardpan."  On  exposure  it  cracks  and  crumbles 
leadily.  The  lower  subsoil  usually  is  cjuite  loamy.  In  general  the 
subsoil  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam  is  not  so  stiff  or  compact  as  the  cor- 
responding layer  in  the  related  Putnam  silt  loam. 

The  Grundy  silt  loam  occupies  the  flat  to  very  gently  rolling  land 
locally  known  as  "prairie."  Throughout  its  extent  the  type  has  a 
nearly  level  to  slightly  undulating  topography.  The  slope  generally 
is  sufficient  to  give  adequate  natural  di-ainage.  Artificial  drainage, 
however,  would  no  doubt  prove  beneficial  in  a  few  small  areas,  as  at 
the  heads  of  shallow  draws,  where  crops  are  sometimes  injured  in 
excessively  wet  seasons.  The  type  is  more  backward  in  the  spring 
than  the  Shelby  loam. 

The  largest  bodies  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam  occur  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  county  in  the  vicinity  of  Osborn  and  to  the  northwest  of 
this  place  around  Amity.  Smaller  areas  are  encountered  on  the  high 
interstream  divides.  The  original  vegetation  consisted  of  wild  prairie 
grasses. 

All  the  type  is  in  cultivation.  Corn,  grass,  oats,  wheat,  and  clover 
are  the  important  crops,  ranking  in  the  order  named.  The  Grundy 
silt  loam  is  an  excellent  grass  and  small-grain  soil.  For  timothy  and 
redtop  it  is  superior  to  the  Shelby  loam,  although  bluegi^ass  does 
better  on  the  latter  type.  In  recent  years  the  acreage  of  wheat  has 
greatly  increased,  and  excellent  results  have  been  obtained.  Although 
many  farmers  state  that  the  Grundy  silt  loam  is  not  so  good  a  soil 
as  the  Shelby  loam,  the  improvements  on  it  indicate  a  degree  of  pros- 
perity not  equaled  on  any  of  the  other  soil  types  in  the  county.  On 
account  of  the  heavy  subsoil,  the  type  is  only  fairly  well  suited  to  the 
production  of  alfalfa.  As  a  fruit  soil  it  is  about  equal  to  the  Shelby 
loam. 

The  high  value  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam  for  the  production  of  corn, 
primarily,  and  of  oats  and  hay  in  proper  rotation  with  corn,  has  led 
to  the  use  of  almost  all  the  type  for  the  production  of  general  farm 
crops.  The  returns  from  this  system  of  general  farming  have  been 
so  satisfactory  that  the  introduction  of  any  special  crops  upon  the 
type  has  not  been  undertaken. 

Wliile  the  Grundy  silt  loam  is  in  a  fair  physical  state,  continuous 
cropping  to  corn  or  corn  and  oats,  with  the  burning  of  the  stalks, 
is  impairing  its  condition ;  the  soil  is  becoming  more  difficult  to  work, 
it  runs  together  more,  and  aeration,  gi-anulation,  and  absorption  of 
moisture  take  place  less  readily  than  formerly.  The  remedy  is  to 
increase  the  organic-matter  content  by  plowing  under  manure  and 
crop  residues,  such  as  cornstalks,  straw,  and  clover.    The  addition  of 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURL  19 

organic  matter  is  not  only  of  great  value  in  improving  the  jjliysical 
condition  of  this  type,  but  it  is  of  even  greater  importance  in  adding 
nitrogen  and  because  of  its  power,  as  it  decays,  to  liberate  potassium 
in  the  soil  and  phosphorus  from  the  phosphate  contained  in  or  applied 
to  the  soil. 

The  occasional  difficulty  of  growing  clover  on  the  Grundy  silt  loam 
largely  results  from  a  deficiency  of  lime  in  the  soil.  This  condition 
can  be  corrected  by  the  application  of  limestone  at  the  rate  of  about 
2  tons  per  acre,  following  with  1-ton  applications  once  in  four  to  six 
years.  AVith  continued  cropjiing  and  leaching,  applications  of  lime- 
stone will  ultimately  be  needed  on  all  the  type. 

The  prevailing  rotation  of  corn,  oats,  and  clover  will  not  main- 
tain the  productiveness  of  the  type  unless  great  care  is  used  to 
return  to  the  soil  all  crop  residues  and  all  manure  made  from  this 
rotation.  It  is  recognized  by  the  majority  of  farmers  that  proper 
crop  rotation  is  needed  for  the  maintenance  of  the  productiveness  of 
this  soil.  Commercial  fertilizers  are  not  applied,  although  the  soil 
responds  readily  to  their  use.  The  use  of  phosphatic  fertilizers  has 
given  good  returns,  and  apparently  is  necessary  in  order  to  insure 
maximum  yields.^  Deep-rooted  crops,  such  as  mammoth  clover 
and  sweet  clover,  may  well  replace  red  clover  at  times  in  order  to 
avoid  clover  siclmess  and  to  render  the  dense  clay  subsoil  more 
permeable  to  air  and  w^ater. 

In  general  the  Gi-undy  silt  loam  includes  the  most  improved  and 
highest  i^riced  land  in  the  count3\  The  greater  part  of  the  type  is 
valued  at  $100  to  $150  an  acre. 

Grundy  silt  loam^  roUimj  phase. — The  surface  soil  of  the  Grundy 
silt  loam,  rolling  phase,  consists  of  a  friable,  dark-brown  to  black  silt 
loam,  which  grades  below  into  somewhat  lighter  colored  material 
extending  to  a  depth  of  about  18  inches.  The  subsoil  is  a  yellowish- 
brown  to  grayish-brown  silty  clay  or  clay  loam,  changing  to  a  yel- 
lowish clay  in  the  lower  part.  Along  the  outer  margins  of  areas  of 
the  phase  and  on  the  narrower  ridges  the  subsoil  consists  of  glacial 
till  and  contains  some  sjind.  The  surface  soil  usually  contains  a 
small  percentage  of  fine  sand,  and  the  change  fi'om  soil  to  subsoil  is 
less  distinct  than  in  the  main  type.  The  bench-land  areas  are  lighter 
in  color  and  texture  than  the  upland  areas. 

In  some  places  where  this  phase  occurs  on  naiTow  ridges  much 
of  the  surface  soil  has  been  removed  and  the  heavy  clay  subsoil  is 
encountered  near  the  surface.  Such  areas  frequently  are  covered 
with  a  scrubby  growth  of  white  oak.  They  are  best  adapted  to  use  as 
pasture.  Where  cultivated  they  require  large  additions  of  organic- 
matter  to  improve  the  physical  properties  of  the  soil  and  to  insure 

1  See  "  Soil  Expcrimonts  on  tho  Dark  Pralrlpa  of  Central  and  Northeast  Missouri,' 
Bui.  No.  127,  Missouri  College  of  .^^Tk■ul(u^<^ 


20  FIELD   OPERATIONS   OF   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1914. 

fair  yields.  On  account  of  their  small  extent  these  areas  are  not 
indicated  on  the  soil  map. 

The  Grundy  silt  loam,  rolling  phase,  represents  sections  of  the 
type  modified  in  surface  features  and  in  structure  by  erosion.  It 
includes  all  the  narrow  ridges  and  forms  a  belt  surrounding  the 
more  nearly  level  areas  of  the  main  type.  It  occurs  also  along  some 
of  the  larger  streams,  occupying  the  second  bottoms  and  low,  grad- 
ual slopes.  The  topography  is  gently  rolling,  and  the  surface  drain- 
age generally  is  good.  The  slopes  usually  are  not  steep  enough  to 
permit  destructive  washing. 

The  boundaries  between  the  main  type  and  the  phase  are  neces- 
sarily drawn  somewhat  arbitrarily,  as  the  two  gi-ade  into  each  other 
almost  imperceptibly.  Erosion  tends  to  convert  the  outer  margin 
of  the  rolling  phase  into  Shelby  loam,  while  the  flat  prairie  is  grad- 
ually being  convei-ted  into  the  rolling  phase  by  the  same  agency. 
This  change  is  taking  place  more  rapidly  now  than  formerly,  when 
washing  was  largely  prevented  by  prairie  grasses. 

Like  the  typical  Grundy  silt  loam,  the  rolling  phase  is  all  under 
cultivation.  It  is  used  for  the  same  crops,  and  the  soil  treatment 
is  the  same  as  on  the  main  type.  It  is  not  so  droughty,  however,  and 
is  generally  considered  the  most  desirable  of  the  upland  soils.  In 
very  dry  or  very  wet  seasons  it  is  more  productive  than  the  flat 
prairie  land,  as  it  has  better  surface  drainage. 

MARSHALL   SILT  LOAM. 

The  soil  of  the  Marshall  silt  loam  to  a  depth  of  10  to  12  inches 
is  a  black  to  dark-brown,  mellow  silt  loam.  This  grades  into  a  brown 
to  light-brown  silt  or  silty  clay  loam.  The  subsoil  below  about  24 
inches  is  a  brownish,  friable  silty  clay  mottled  with  gray  and  yellow. 
The  lower  subsoil  frequently  passes  into  a  yellowish-brown  clay  loam 
resembling  the  lower  subsoil  of  the  Grundy  silt  loam.  Both  surface 
soil  and  subsoil  are  free  from  sand  and  gravel,  and  the  material 
usually  is  uniform  to  a  depth  of  6  or  8  feet. 

This  type  is  derived  from  the  fine  silty  material  generally  called 
loess,  which  overspreads  a  large  part  of  northwestern  Missouri.  It 
is  probable  that  the  loess  at  one  time  covered  a  large  part  of  Dekalb 
County,  but  owing  to  the  action  of  erosion  the  thick  deposits  are 
now  confined  to  the  valleys  in  the  western  part  of  the  county.  These 
areas  represent  the  eastern  edge  of  the  extensive  loess  soils  that  com- 
prise nearly  all  the  upland  west  of  Dekalb  County  to  the  Missouri 
River. 

The  Mai-shall  silt  loam  is  confined  to  the  valley  of  Big  Third  Fork 
in  the  western  part  of  the  coimty.  The  type  rises  gradually  from  tlie 
outer  margin  of  the  flood  plain  and  has  a  gently  rolling  topography. 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  21 

Practically  all  the  type  is  in  cultivation,  being  used  for  the  pro- 
duction of  corn  and  grass  almost  exclusively.  It  is  especially  de- 
sirable as  grass  land.  The  yields  of  corn  average  higher  than  on 
any  of  the  other  upland  soils.  On  account  of  its  mellow  subsoil  it  is 
especially  adapted  to  the  growing  of  alfalfa  and  other  deep-rooted 
crops.  As  a  general-faruiing  soil  tlie  Marshall  silt  loaui  is  one  of  the 
most  desirable  tyi)es  in  the  county.  The  content  of  organic  matter 
in  the  soil  is  high,  and  the  supply  is  easily  maintained.  Manure, 
crop  residues  or  legume  crops  should  be  turned  under  in  order  to 
maintain  the  organic-matter  and  nitrogen  content,  but  the  addition 
of  commercial  fertilizers  probably  would  not  prove  profitable.  The 
installation  of  tile  drains  in  a  few  of  the  flat  areas  Avould  prove 
beneficial. 

CRAWFORD   STONY  LOaM. 

The  Crawford  stony  loam  includes  areas  occupied  by  rock  outcrops 
or  strewn  with  rock  fragments  to  such  an  extent  that  cultivation  is 
impracticable.  The  soil  material  is  variable,  but  usually  consists  of 
a  dark-brown  or  yellowish-brown  silty  clay  or  clay  loam,  underlain 
at  a  depth  of  10  to  24  inches  by  beds  of  limestone  or  yellowish-drab 
shale.  It  is  derived  in  part  from  the  Weathering  of  limestones  and 
shales  and  in  part  from  glacial  till. 

The  type  occurs  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  on  steep  slopes 
where  the  overlying  drift  has  been  removed  and  the  bedrock  ex- 
posed.   A  number  of  areas  are  too  small  to  map. 

Practically  all  the  Crawford  ston}'^  loam  is  forested  or  covered 
iwith  brush.  Some  of  the  smoother  areas  could  be  used  for  pasture 
or  orchard  sites.  Bluegrass  and  white  clover  do  well  on  this  soil. 
Most  of  the  type  would  best  remain  forested,  because  when  it  is 
cleared  erosion  becomes  destructive. 

WABASH    LOAM. 

The  Wabash  loam  is  the  most  variable  soil  type  in  the  county. 
The  surface  soil  ranges  in  texture  from  fine  sandy  loam  to  clay 
loam,  although  douiinantly  it  is  a  loam.  Along  the  steeper  slopes 
where  washing  is  more  marked  the  soil  generally  is  (juito  san<ly, 
while  in  the  gently  rolling  areas  the  sand  content  is  relatively  low. 
Where  the  type  occurs  within  areas  of  the  (irnndy  silt  loam  the 
texture  is  a  silt  or  silty  clay.  At  a  depth  of  IT)  to  IS  inches  the  sur- 
face soil  grades  into  a  black  or  dark-gray  silty  clay,  carrying  .some 
sand  and  continuing  to  a  depth  of  3  feet  or  more.  There  usually  is 
not  enough  sand  in  the  subsoil  to  give  it  a  friable  texture,  aud  the 
lower  part  is  almost  sand  free.  The  surface  soil  is  cli:inuteii/e(l  i)y 
its  black  color  and  high  content  of  orgiuiic  uiatter. 

This  type  occurs  along  the  small  streams  ;ind  draws  iu  ;i!l  jtarts 
of  the  county  and  is  both  alluvial  and  colluvial  in  origiu.     It  lies 


22  FIKLD   OPERATIONS   OF   TIN':   BUREAU    OF   SOILS,  1014. 

relatively  higher  than  the  other  bottom-land  soils  and  is  rarely  over- 
flowed. Very  fre(iiiently,  however,  tributary  streams  of  steep  gradi- 
ent which  descend  IVom  the  upland  ai"e  raised  to  flood  level  by  heavy 
showers,  and  under  such  conditions  carry  down  large  quantities  of 
local  material,  which  is  deposited  in  the  form  of  low  alluvial  cones 
at  the  point  where  the  Wabash  loam  adjoins  the  upland  slopes.  At 
the  heads  of  some  draws,  where  the  type  has  a  flat  surface,  the 
moisture  conditions  could  be  improved  by  the  use  of  tile  drains. 

The  Wabash  loam  is  one  of  the  most  productive  soils  of  the 
county.  It  is  well  suited  to  all  the  field  crops  commonly  grown  in 
the  region,  and  particularly  to  corn  and  grass.  Where  it  has  good 
underdrainnge  it  is  also  well  suited  to  alfalfa.  Wheat  and  oats 
usually  make  too  rank  a  growth  and  are  likely  to  lodge. 

WABASH   SILT   LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Wabash  silt  loam  is  a  dark-brown  or  dark- 
gray  to  black,  mellow  silty  loam.  The  darker  material  occurs  where 
there  has  been  a  tendency  toward  the  accumulation  of  a  muckj^  sur- 
face soil.  The  soil  is  lighter  brown  on  the  low  undulations,  which 
have  better  drainage  and  are  not  subject  to  annual  overflow.  The 
surface-soil  material  grades  almost  imperceptibly  into  the  black  or 
dark-gi'ay  silty  clay  loam  or  clay  loam  subsoil.  Owing  to  the  alluvial 
origin  of  the  type,  there  are  minor  variations  in  texture,  and  fre- 
quently a  drab  or  gray  clay  is  present  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
subsoil,  while  veins  and  pockets  of  sand  are  encountered  in  places  in 
the  surface  soil  or  subsoil.  Some  fine  sand  has  accumulated  on  the 
loAv  ridges.  In  general,  the  type  is  more  uniform  in  texture  and 
slightly  heavier  in  the  western  part  of  the  covmty  than  in  the  eastern 
part.  This  difference  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  in  the  western 
part  the  soil  material  is  largely  derived  from  the  upland  silt  loams 
and  from  loess,  Avhile  the  glacial  till  is  the  source  of  the  valle}"  soil 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county. 

The  Wabash  silt  loam  includes  the  broad,  level  first  bottoms  or 
OA^erflow  lands  along  the  larger  streams  in  the  county.  In  many 
places  the  frequent  overflows  of  the  different  streams  have  built  up 
the  areas  of  this  soil  type  which  immediately  adjoin  the  stream 
channels  to  elevations  somewhat  greater  than  that  of  the  material 
farther  back  in  the  same  bottoms.  In  such  locations  the  material 
usually  is  somewhat  coarser  than  the  general  average  of  the  type, 
and  small  areas  of  fine  sandy  surface  soil  are  encountered.  The 
natural  drainage  is  good,  although  practically  all  the  type  is  subject 
to  ovei'flow.  Such  wet  areas  as  are  sometimes  found  at  the  foot  of 
the  upland  slopes  can  be  easily  and  effectively  drained  by  open 
ditches  or  by  tile  drains.  The  water  table  is  seldom  encountered  at 
a  depth  of  less  than  8  feet.    Droughts  hardly  ever  seriously  affect 


SOIL  SURVEY   OF   DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  23 

crops  on  this  typo.  The  occasional  overflows  constitute  the  only 
limitation  to  the  use  of  this  soil. 

Originally  the  Wabash  silt  loam  contained  large  quantities  of 
organic  matter.  Continued  cropping  for  more  than  30  years  has 
materially  decreased,  though  it  has  not  nearly  exhausted,  this  siipplv. 
The  organic  content,  together  with  the  silty  nature  of  the  material, 
tends  to  make  the  surface  soil  verj--  mellow  and  desirable  for  culti- 
vated crops. 

This  type  is  particularly  desirable  for  the  production  of  corn. 
Probably  more  than  three-fourths  of  the  type  is  devoted  to  this  crop. 
Yields  range  from  40  to  100  bnsliels  per  acre.  In  tlie  higher  Iving 
areas  wheat  and  oats  do  well,  but  are  likely  to  lodge  on  account  of 
their  rank  growth. 

Grasses  thrive  in  the  low-lying  areas  and  next  to  corn  they  con- 
stitute the  most  important  crop.  Timothy  and  redtop  particularly 
give  heavy  yields  of  hay.  The  areas  that  are  not  subject  to  overflow 
are  well  suited  to  the  production  of  alfalfa  and  clover.  It  is  not 
probable,  however,  that  with  the  present  demand  for  corn  any  large 
area  of  this  type  will  be  devoted  to  the  production  of  other  crops. 
The  type  is  inherently  sti-ong  and  durable  and  enhances  the  value  of 
farms  in  which  it  is  included. 

To  maintain  the  productiveness  of  the  Wabash  silt  loam  the  only 
need  is  the  practice  of  good  methods  of  farming.  Even  the  sys- 
tematic rotation  of  crops  is  not  so  important  where  the  land  is  subject 
to  occasional  overflow,  but  where  it  lies  high  or  is  protected  from 
overflow  by  dikes  a  rotation  including  leguminous  crops  should  be 
practiced,  and  ultimately  provision  should  be  made  in  such  protected 
areas  for  the  incorporation  of  organic  matter  and,  if  acid,  for  the 
addition  of  lime. 

WABASH    CLAY. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Wabash  clay  is  a  Idack  or  drab,  heavv.  plas- 
tic clay  or  clay  loam,  having  an  average  depth  of  about  10  inches, 
although  not  infrequently  extending  to  a  depth  of  15  inches  or  more. 
The  subsoil,  which  continues  to  a  groat  depth,  usually  is  a  bluish- 
black,  stick)',  waxy  clay,  with  occasional  iron  stains.  The  surface 
soil  when  wet  is  stifl"  and  sticky  and  adheres  to  the  moldboard  of  the 
plow.  It  cracks  and  gi-anulates  as  the  water  evaporates,  forming 
crevices  which  sometimes  have  a  depth  of  12  to  20  inches  and  a  width 
of  1  to  2  inches.  The  subsoil  is  retentive  of  moisture,  owing  to  its 
texture  and  the  low  position  of  the  tyjie.  Locally  the  Wabash  clay 
is  known  as  "  gmnbo." 

The  Wabash  clay  occupies  level  or  depressed  positions  within  the 
broader  alluvial  lands.  It  comprises  the  areas  of  deposition  of  the 
finest  sediments  carried  by  the  overflow  waters.     Practically  all  the 


24  FIELD  OPERATIONS  OF   THE  BUREAU   OF   SOILS,  1914. 

type  is  flooded  each  season.  It  retains  an  excess  of  moisture  until 
far  into  the  summer,  and  is  consequently  not  well  suited  to  agri- 
culture in  its  natural  condition. 

The  natural  productiveness  of  the  Wabash  clay,  -where  it  is 
properly  protected  from  overflow,  makes  it  a  desirable  soil.  How- 
ever, very  little  attempt  has  been  made  to  produce  other  than  a  few 
general  farm  crops.  "Where  well  drained  the  type  is  devoted  to  corn, 
and  yields  ranging  from  60  to  80  bushels  per  acre  are  obtained. 
Crops,  however,  are  uncertain,  and  in  wet  seasons  usually  are  a  fail- 
ure. The  poorly  drained  areas  yield  large  quantities  of  coarse  hay. 
Areas  not  subject  to  overflow  are  admirably  adapted  to  clover  and 
timothy. 

To  improve  this  soil  it  is  necessary  to  provide  both  surface  and 
imdcrground  drainage  and  to  protect  the  land  from  floods.  In  many 
cases  the  physical  properties  of  the  soil  can  be  greatly  improved  by 
plowing  imdor  corn  stalks  and  other  coarse  material.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  the  difficulty  of  working  clay  soils  is  in  proportion 
to  their  deficiency  in  organic  matter. 

SUMMARY. 

Dekalb  County  lies  within  the  gently  rolling  prairie  region  of 
the  northwestern  part  of  Missouri.  It  has  an  area  of  417  square 
miles,  or  266,880  acres.  The  topography  varies  from  level  to  rolling ; 
prevailingly  it  is  gently  rolling.  The  most  extensive  area  of  level 
land  is  in  the  south-central  part  of  the  county.  Elevations  range 
from  about  850  to  1,080  feet  above  sea  level. 

Eegional  drainage  is  well  developed;  the  streams  of  the  eastern 
part  of  the  county  have  cut  to  greater  depths  than  those  of  the 
western  part.  With  the  exception  of  the  larger  drainage  ways,  the 
streams  are  dry  except  during  wet  weather.  The  flood  plains  of 
the  larger  streams  are  very  wide  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
drainage  couree. 

The  population  of  Dekalb  County  in  1910  was  12,531.  Mays%411e, 
the  county  seat,  is  the  largest  town  in  the  coimty,  with  a  population 
of  1,051  at  the  last  census. 

Transportation  is  furnished  by  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific, 
the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy,  and  the  Quincy,  Omaha  &  Kansas 
City  Railways. 

The  climate  is  mild  and  well  suited  to  general  farming.  The 
mean  annual  temperature  is  about  53°  F.  The  average  annual  pre- 
cipitation of  about  35  inches  is  well  distributed  throughout  the  year. 
There  is  a  normal  growing  season  of  160  days. 

The  agriculture  of  the  county  consists  principally  of  general  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising.     Dairying  is  becoming  important.     Practi- 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF"  DEKALB   COUNTY,  MISSOURI.  25 

cally  all  the  live-stock  and  dairy  products  are  marketed  in  St.  Joseph. 
Corn  is  the  most  important  cultivated  crop.  Oats  are  grown  on 
nearly  every  farm  for  home  use.  Wheat  is  an  important  crop  on 
the  level  prairie  lands,  and  its  acreage  is  gradually  being  increased. 
Timothy  and  clover  are  grown  extensively.  The  county  is  noted  for 
its  excellent  bluegrass  pastures.  Owing  to  improved  methods  of 
farming  crop  yields  are  increasing. 

The  1910  census  reports  2,18G  farms  in  Dekalb  County.  The  aver- 
age size  of  the  farms  is  given  as  120.5  acres.  Of  the  total  land  area 
of  the  county,  about  97  per  cent  is  in  farms,  and  of  the  farm  land 
about  93  per  cent  is  improved.  The  average  value  of  farm  land  in 
1910  is  given  as  $G8.44  an  acre.  About  07  per  cent  of  the  farms  are 
operated  by  the  owners  and  practically  all  the  remainder  by  tenants. 

The  glacial  soil,  represented  by  the  Shelby  loam  type,  comprises 
about  G7  per  cent  of  the  upland  of  the  county.  It  is  characterized  by 
a  dark  surface  soil  and  heavy  clay  subsoil.  It  is  productive  and  well 
adapted  to  corn,  grass,  and  other  staple  crops. 

The  loessial  soils  include  the  Grundy  and  Marshall  silt  loams.  The 
Grundy  silt  loam  and  its  rolling  phase  are  excellent  grass  and  small- 
grain  soils,  all  under  cultivation.  The  Marshall  silt  loam  is  very  pro- 
ductive and  is  highly  prized  for  corn,  grass,  and  alfalfa. 

Owing  to  its  small  extent  and  rough  topography,  the  Crawford 
silt  loam  is  a  negligible  factor  in  the  agi'iculture.  It  is  derived  from 
resistant  limestone  beds  along  the  deeper  stream  cuts,  mainly  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county.     Practically  all  the  soil  is  forested. 

The  alluvial  soils  are  classed  with  the  "Wabash  series.  Although 
subject  to  occasional  overflow,  they  comprise  some  of  the  most  pro- 
ductive land  in  the  county.  They  are  used  for  the  production  of 
corn  almost  exclusively,  but  are  well  adapted  to  grass,  wheat,  and, 
where  well  drained,  to  alfalfa. 

o 


.LA  MAP  LIBRARY 
RLE  LFTT-P 


[rUBLTC   RESOT-tlTION No.    9.] 

JOINT  I5ESOLUTION  Amon<lin«  public  resolution  niimlforod  oi};li(.  l-'ifly  sixlli  Congress, 
second  sossion,  approved  Kebruary  twenty-third,  nineteen  hundred  and  one,  "  providinj; 
for  the  print inK  annually  of  the  report  on  lield  operations  of  the  Division  of  Soils, 
I)epartment  of  Aj,Ticulturc." 

Resolved  hy  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  fitates  of 
America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  public  resolution  ininihorpd  <'i;.'lit,  Fifty- 
sixth  Congress,  second  se.ssion,  approved  Feliruary  twenty-third,  ninetiH^n  hun- 
dred and  one,  be  amended  by  striking  out  all  after  the  resolving  clause  and 
inserting  in  lieu  thereof  the  following: 

That  there  .shall  be  printed  ten  thousand  five  hundred  copies  of  the  report  on 
field  operations  of  the  Division  of  Soils,  Department  of  Agriculture,  of  which 
one  thousand  five  hundred  copies  shall  he  for  the  use  of  the  Senate,  three 
thousand  copies  for  the  use  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  six  thousand 
copies  for  the  use  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture:  Provided,  That  in  addition 
to  the  number  of  copies  above  provided  for  there  shall  be  printed,  as  soon  as 
the  manuscript  can  be  prepared,  with  the  necessary  n)aps  and  illustrations  to 
accompany  it,  a  report  on  each  area  surveyed,  in  the  form  of  advance  sheets, 
bound  in  pai>er  covers,  of  which  five  hundred  copies  shall  be  for  the  tiso  of  eacli 
Senjitor  from  the  State,  two  thousand  copies  for  the  use  of  each  Ri'presentiitive 
for  tlie  congressional  district  or  districts  in  whicli  the  survey  is  made,  and  one 
tliousaiid  copies  for  the  u.se  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Approved,  Manh  14,  IDlM. 

[on  .luly  ],  i;»01,  the  Division  of  Soils  was  reor{,'auized  a.s  llie  I'.ureau  of  Soils.] 


Areas  surrcyed  in  Missouri, 


